IP Updates

The Decision In a recent ruling by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) (view the decision here), Next Step Group's attempt to invalidate a design patent owned by the makers of Ugg® boots failed. The petitioners argued that the design patent, which protects the ornamental features of Ugg® [...]

In a promising development for software-based inventors, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently issued a decision that could ease some of the difficulties in securing patents on software inventions. Over the past decade, applications for software patents have faced increasing scrutiny, primarily because of [...]

In a recent opinion from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Court underscored the stringent requirements for securing an "exceptional" case finding under the Patent Act (35 U.S.C. § 285). This finding is crucial as it serves as the predicate for awarding attorneys’ fees to [...]

In a recent decision by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), two registrations for the mark "SMART LOCK" were removed from the trademark registry due to improperly identified goods in the registration certificates. This proceeding highlights the critical importance of accurately preparing and submitting trademark applications. Below, we [...]